Bitcoin Slides Below $76,000 After Senate Blocks Move to Consider CLARITY Act

Bitcoin sank below $76,000 on Sept. 15 as the U.S. Senate failed to clear a procedural hurdle to take up the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, dealing a setback to efforts to build a federal framework for crypto markets. The motion to proceed fell short in a cloture vote, 49–50, well under the 60 votes required to begin debate. The proposal aimed to replace the industry's patchwork of oversight with a uniform federal regime governing the issuance, trading and sale of digital assets. The failed vote leaves the broader push to standardize market structure unresolved and removes a near-term path to a floor debate. The Senate's official schedule had the vote at about 2:15 p.m. ET. Markets were already weakening ahead of the tally. Bitcoin touched an intraday low of $74,967.97 on Sept. 15 after slipping under $76,000 earlier in the session. Altcoins also sold off, with total altcoin market capitalization down 3.6% over the same period, though it remained above $1.15 trillion. Traders were also positioning for a Federal Reserve decision, adding pressure across risk assets. The timeline suggests the legislative disappointment amplified afternoon weakness rather than triggering the day's full decline. Derisking in leveraged positions was underway before senators voted. CoinGlass data showed more than $300 million in liquidations about 20 minutes after the result, while 24-hour liquidations topped $665 million at the same point. For the crypto industry, the immediate impact is delay: the CLARITY Act did not secure the votes needed to start debate. For Bitcoin, the next test is whether selling stabilizes as markets digest the policy setback alongside the separate monetary-policy risk weighing on sentiment.